"Why is the house so quiet, where is everyone?" Ignas busied herself with unpacking the groceries they came back with, while inquiring for the people they left at home.
"They left to the cybercafe. Jane texted me that they need access to network, in order to submit Lara's CV.
They will be back soon. They used the one at the bus stop." Priscilla replied, putting a pot of water on fire. "Lara looked so happy while speaking of the possibility of getting this job. I can't help but pray that she gets it. It seems like a better and more fulfilling option."
"And why do you think that is?" Asked Ignas, placing three packs of chocolate on the top shelf."
"Well...."
"The money of course." She interrupted.
"Oh no, I disagree on that. It's not just about the money for Lara. She has worked at the paediatric unit for the longest time. This might help her have the feel all over again." Priscilla insisted.
"You all love to sound unrealistic." Ignas shook her head. "How can being a full blown Nanny to a little girl well over five, help bring back the feeling of working as a paediatrician? Make it make sense. On the other hand, saying that she's excited because of the job security and money, that would sound very much believable. The Lewins are on top of the ladder of wealth. They are the top 1%. So, if she gets employed by Bennet Lewin, then she'll be way more comfortable than she's ever been since she got her license revoked."
"Ignasia, please, believe what you want and let me do same. Now come cut some onions and mushrooms for me."
"Yes ma'am." She moved over to the kitchen counter and got absorbed with her assigned task. A few minutes passed without a word from either of them. Priscilla was busy with the pepper and vegetables while Ignas focused on the mushrooms after cutting the onions. "So, when are you going to tell her?" She suddenly asked out of the blues.
Priscilla almost cut her fingers as the question came to her unexpectedly. "Christ!" She exclaimed pushing the vegetable tray aside. "I almost cut myself!"
"Sorry." Ignas murmured, eyes glued to the mushrooms she was cutting. "So?"
"Now is not the right time to talk about this, someone might overhear us."
Ignas chuckled, shaking her head. "It's never the right time. I've asked you about this countless times and you keep saying the very same thing. It is never the right time with you. You need to tell her, she deserve to know." Ignas insisted.
Priscilla paused, she turned to her friend and spoke in a low tone. "We've talked about this before now. I will tell Lara at the right time. I need to be certain before telling her."
"You need to be certain? Oh come off it Priscy. We've sought for different medical opinion and they were all the same. What other certainty do you need? Clara is a smart girl, she could have a solution or know exactly what to do. Just tell her, please." Ignas pleaded.
"Tell me what?" Clara asked pushing the entrance door open. "What do you want to tell me?" She asked again, stepping in, with Jane and Ariella closely behind her. "Mum?" She turned to Priscilla with a quizzical look.
"Oh, it's nothing. Ignas here was asking me to tell you that you have to be careful with the new job, working at the capital can be tasking." She told a dumb lie. She heard how dumb she sounded and knew instantly that Clara will never take the tale.
"I didn't tell her that." Ignas exonerated herself immediately, to nobody's surprise.
"I know,' Clara replied, moving closer to her mother. "Please talk to me. What is wrong?" She tried again, but Priscilla shook her head.
"No baby, it's nothing. You don't have to bother yourself."
"Mum, would you just talk to me! I'm not a kid. I demand to know what the problem is. You are hiding something from me, what is it?" She howled angrily at her mother.
"Clara." Jane called in a low tone, afraid that her friend's we words might affect the mother.
Priscilla bursted into tears. She attempted speaking but nobody could make out the words from her mouth, as they sounded more like babbles.
Ignas reached out and hugged her friend closely, "it's okay." She said, feeling guilty that she might have contributed to her state.
Dropping Ariella on a nearby couch, Jane went over, helping Ignas and Priscilla to the couch beside the kitchen counter. Ignas took a seat beside Priscilla while Jane, Ariella and Clara took a seat adjacent theirs.
"I...." Priscilla started. "We...., I was feeling sick two months ago, I got treated by the doctor at the factory, but after some days, I started feeling sick again. Tremors, vomiting, body weakness, drowsiness, you name it. When I couldn't take it anymore, I had to visit a hospital at the capital, when the results came out, I was told it..... that it was....Leukemia"
"Not again." Clara lamented, stamping her legs. "Not leukemia again!" She shouted.
"Calm down Clara, let's hear her out." Jane whispered, scared to raise her voice higher than it's current tone.
"I made Ignas take me to another hospital in the neighbouring state, and we were told same. Then two weeks ago, we went to St. Gregory at the capital, they said the same thing." Priscilla said.
"And at what time were you planning to tell me?" Clara snapped.
"Soon, I swear to you, I wanted to tell you soon enough. I was just waiting for the right time." She broke into another sob. "Ignas, tell her, I wanted to tell her at the right time please."
Ignas nodded, bringing her friend's head to her shoulder. "It's okay, she knows, she understands."
Clara started pacing the room. "I need to speak to the doctor that attended to you at St. Gregory. You could still be at the acute phase." She murmured to herself. "I need to find out what the problem is, what's with leukemia. Is it from our food, our water, are they infected with something, maybe a chemical." She continued murmuring to herself.
"Clara, come sit down please." Jane called.
"No, there must be something wrong.," She continued pacing. "Maybe it's from the factory, or the grocery store." She said, stopping, and turned to her mother. "You visit the grocery store often. Maybe their store have a chemical leak or their products have...."
"Clara, sit the fuck down!" Ignas shouted angrily.
"Language Ignas, there is a child here please." Jane reminded her.
"Sorry about that." She apologized.